LETTERS: Trish Makepeace put her heart and soul into Dewsbury

Pictured in 2002, Trish Makepeace, chairman of Dewsbury Market Traders’ Association at the market's Golden Jubilee street party.

Coun Eric Firth writes: It would be remiss of me not to pen a few words about my friend Trish Makepeace, who has sadly passed away.

Trish and I go back a long way. I first met her when we worked at Briar Mills. Her husband Bob was a shift supervisor there and we had quite a lot of social events and of course Bob and Trish always took a full part.

Many years later our paths crossed again when as an elected member I was put in charge of markets and lo and behold there was Bob and Trish running a very successful hot potato business on Dewsbury Market.

But not just that, Trish being Trish, wanted to be at the heart of everything, so she was, you could say, the kingpin of the Market Traders’ Federation in Dewsbury. Anything on the market we did with Trish. She had so many ideas and she was so enthusiastic about the market and Dewsbury as a place.

So whether it be the Onion Fair, which she resurrected, or the town centre Christmas lights, she threw herself into it with so much boundless enthusiasm, sometimes it was hard to keep up.

Dewsbury folk will remember the Santa on his sleigh and of course the reindeer all organised by Trish and the markets service.

They will also remember I’m sure one summer when she persuaded me, against my better judgment, to be a model in the market’s summer fashion parade (all the clothes could be bought on the market). Well it was a great success, it brought lots of people to the market and also enthused the market traders. Exactly what she wanted to do, bringing people together.

Nothing fazed her, it was her mission to make Dewsbury Market and the town the best it could possibly be and she was not averse to button-holding me or anyone else for that matter to achieve that aim.

This wonderful woman put her heart and soul into the market and the town, and always supported me, as I did her.

She will be sadly missed I know by Bob and her family, but also on a wider note by all who had the privilege to know her and work with her in whatever capacity.

I, in all honesty, don’t think we will see the like again.